Band Aid Solutions
by Zoni
Summary: Alan volunteers to help Eric patch himself up after an injury at work. What seems like a good idea could turn out to be a disaster... or the best thing they've ever done. Eric/Alan - Language, PWP


**Band-Aid Solutions  
><strong>_by Zoni_

"Fuck."

Another night, another injury. Eric Slingby was not a happy man. During a lengthy day at work, he had managed to get himself injured. Again. Injuries were not something about which he normally had to worry. After all, he was a shinigami. They were tough. Even when they were injured, they healed quickly. That did nothing to change the fact that the nasty gash on his side was still bleeding. While collecting a soul, he had been forced to move quickly out of an alleyway. In the process, he had managed to cut himself on a rusty pipe. Whether it was the rusty metal or just the awkward placement of the cut on his side, the gash was not closing up as quickly as he expected. On top of that, it burned as if someone had set it on fire.

Eric stumbled into his apartment, leaning against the wall of his small entranceway. He watched as Alan walked into the apartment behind him. The shorter man closed and locked the door behind them before turning to offer Eric a shoulder to lean on. "Let's get that cut cleaned up."

"I'm fine," Eric said, grunting. Pushing away from the wall and ignoring the offered assistance, he walked awkwardly into the living area. The sitting room was sparsely furnished, but it was still home. Taking in the sight of his cheaply upholstered furniture and small collection of end tables, Eric looked at Alan out of the corner of his eye.

After he had been injured, Eric had made an honest attempt to return to the office and continue working. He had been quickly sent away to treat the injury. Despite the size of the cut, he had not wanted to go to the infirmary. Every single time that he was injured, the nurses in that blasted place mobbed him and fawned over him as though he was some sort of idol.

His secondary option had been to return home and treat the injury himself. William T. Spears had approved his early leave from work, but Eric had not expected to run into Alan on his way out of the building. Seeing the condition that he was in, Alan had insisted on helping him. The offer of help had not come as a great surprise and it had seemed like a good idea at the time. They were close friends. Out of work, they had spent more than a few evenings at one of their homes, just enjoying the time that they had together as friends. Just friends. Eric reminded himself of that fact as he followed Alan into the apartment.

"Just go to the kitchen," Alan said with a sigh, watching him closely. He gave Eric a look that was somewhere between commiseration and amusement. Eric frowned. Alan smiled. "You'll just get blood all over the cushions if you try to sit on the couch. Do you really want to have to clean that up later? You should have given in and gone to the infirmary, you know."

"Shit, I won't go to that place if I can help it," Eric said grumpily. He gave one last, longing look at the couch before moving toward the kitchen. As much as he hated to admit it, Alan was right. The couch would be comfortable but he did not want to be stuck with having to clean up his furniture. "The nurses in there are enough to put you off for a week."

"Oh, really? I was starting to think you made sure you were injured regularly simply to have the pleasure of seeing them."

"Bullshit," Eric said, frowning. "You know how much I hate going over there. How would _you_ like to be hounded by eight women who talk a mile a minute like crazed canaries? They never actually treat the wounds, but they'll sure as hell talk you to death if given the chance."

"I would have thought that you liked that sort of attention," Alan laughed, the corners of his mouth turning up into a smile as Eric leaned back on the counter.

Eric glared at him less fiercely than he would have liked. "This isn't funny."

"Whatever you say," Alan replied. "Take your jacket off so I can get a better look at that cut. Do you have bandages and antiseptic? The last time you got yourself in a position like this, I remember your attempts at improvising on both. I remember because I had to tell you off for it."

Eric muttered something under his breath. He responded, feigning exasperation. "Sheesh. You're like my mother. They're in the bathroom, in the cupboard under the sink."

Pulling his jacket off and laying it on the counter, Eric watched as Alan vanished down the small hallway that led back to the bathroom and the two bedrooms that made up the rest of his home. The fact that Alan thought he would enjoy the attention that the love-starved nurses in the infirmary had to offer did not surprise him. Eric had earned his reputation in that department years ago. Somehow, not a single person in the Shinigami Dispatch Association had noticed that he had not once indulged those whims in the past six months. The reason for that lapse in his behavior was now in his bathroom, probably lamenting the state of organization in his cabinets. No doubt, Alan would return with tales of caution regarding his bathroom cupboards.

Alan had no idea what he did to Eric. There was any number of reasons for his ignorance, though the main one was the fact that, while close, they were definitely just friends. They were exceptionally close friends who were rarely seen apart when not at work but that was all there was to it. The fact that they were both men had nothing to do with anything. As shinigami, most of their co-workers were male. Such things were not unheard of. Eric was quite certain that Alan had not once glanced at any of the female staff in the time that he had known him. In that aspect, Eric would have been fully justified in telling him and taking a chance.

However, Alan's preferences were not the only obstacle that Eric had considered. Even if Alan had been inclined, there were rules against that sort of thing in the company. Eric was no longer Alan's supervisor, but he was still his superior. It was wrong, it was against the rules and Eric Slingby could not deny that he had fallen head over heels in love with his charming partner. Alan made it impossible to him to fight that reality. Even now, Alan was preparing to take care of him just as Eric had done for Alan on countless occasions. If the cut on his side had not burned so badly, he probably would have found the irony amusing.

Alan slipped back into the room with several rags, bandages and a bottle of astringent in his hands. He deposited the majority of his findings on the miniscule wooden surface that made up Eric's kitchen table. Picking up one of the rags, he walked over to the sink and began to run hot water. Glancing at Eric out of the corner of his eye, Alan said, "You might want to take the shirt off, too. I can't actually see the cut like that, you know, even if there is a massive hole in the shirt."

Removing the jacket had been expected but Eric had not really thought about the fact that the shirt might need to be taken off to grant Alan access to the wound. He had a sense that he probably should not give in to that request. The little voice in the back of his mind told him that it would not be wise to follow his instructions. Maybe letting Alan help him had not been as good of an idea as it had originally seemed. "You know, I'm glad you helped me to get home, but I can take it from here. It's not like this is the first time I've been inj-"

"Nonsense," Alan said, smiling. Setting the rag under running water, he slid his own jacket off and hung it over the back of a chair. Gloves were placed on the table. He unbuttoned his cuffs and rolled up his sleeves. "You have been so patient with me when I am having trouble. What sort of friend would I be if I left you alone when you're in need of a little help?"

That made it official. Having Alan patch him up was definitely not the best idea that Eric had ever had. Even with how badly the cut stung, Eric was fully aware of the fact that if he actually allowed Alan to help him with the wound, it would put the two of them in very close proximity. Only the week before, he had decided to try to keep the ever-shrinking distance between them friendly. Keeping a friendly distance at work was not a problem, but he was quite certain that having Alan's hands on his stomach for any reason was not going to help matters. The cut was in the worst place possible, too. Starting just under his rib cage, it extended all the way down to his hip. The top half of the cut was already starting to heal. Just then, Eric was prepared to curse the fact that the bottom of the cut had not healed first. He hesitated, lifting his hands to remove his tie and then freezing.

"What's wrong?" Alan asked. He picked up his rag and took a step towards Eric.

"Nothing," Eric said. "I'm fine, really. I can take care of this myself. It's practically healed anyway."

He had to admit that the lie had been a particularly bad one. One of Alan's eyebrows arched skeptically, a look Eric had only seen on his face once or twice before. Despite himself, Eric felt his lips twitch in amusement at the almost comical look of skepticism on his partner's face. Not amused, Alan said, "Eric. You're bleeding. It's starting to drip on the floor. You really should take the shirt off."

When Alan took another step towards him, Eric let out a heavy sigh and reached up to remove the garment. The tie slid off easily enough, but the shirt was in worse condition than he had originally figured. Rather than pulling the shirt off in one piece, he removed three segments that were cut raggedly by the same pipe that had given him the injury. The pieces of cotton shirt were carelessly tossed on the counter; he could clean them up later.

As soon as the shirt was off, Alan crossed the short distance from the sink to the counter against which Eric was leaning. Reaching out gingerly, Alan's fingers grazed over the reddened skin around the gash, ignoring the blood. "I had no idea the cut was this bad. We should have gotten you out of there sooner."

"It really isn't as bad as it looks," Eric responded, watching as the brunet ran his hands around the edges of the wound and tried to gage the extent of the damage. Was Alan this casual with everyone, just walking up and touching them like this? His thin fingers were drifting over skin so lightly that the pressure did not hurt in the slightest. Even so, Eric was aware of every movement.

Alan lifted the rag that he was holding and began to clean the blood from around the edges of the cut. The instant that cloth hit skin, Eric let out a quiet hiss. Soaked through with incredibly hot water, the rag burned both his skin and the cut itself. Unable to stop himself, Eric jerked away automatically. "Damn. That hurts, you know."

"Sorry," Alan said, wincing apologetically. His free hand reached around, landing on Eric's back as he tried to hold the man still. "If you would stop wiggling it wouldn't hurt so much. Must you curse at everything?"

"Only when it hurts like a son of a bitch," Eric retorted. He had to focus on something other than the feeling of Alan's hands. The drag of the washcloth over his skin was distracting, but once he had gotten used to the temperature even the rough cloth did not hurt as badly as he had expected. He had been right. The cut was healing. It was just not healing even remotely as fast as he would have liked. His eyes were fixed on the sight of Alan's hands running over his skin. Alan pulled a fleck of rusty metal from the edge of the wound, lips turning down in a frown as he placed it on the counter behind Eric. He ran the rag over the expanse of the wound but there was no denying that he had encountered another problem. The cut did not end at the waist of Eric's trousers. With a large tear in the waistband and half of his belt sheared away, Eric should have remembered that the cut went to his hip.

Alan pulled his hands back when he finished wiping the visible segment of the cut. Turning, he walked back to the sink and rinsed out the washcloth. "I'll need to see the rest of the cut so we can get it cleaned out. Go ahead and undo your belt for me."

"What?" This was more than Eric had bargained for. "No."

"What do you mean, 'no'?" Alan asked, walking back to stand in front of him with the freshly rinsed cloth. He put his hands on his hips, strategically positioning the washcloth so it did not soak his trousers. He stared at Eric expectantly. "It has to be cleaned out and I can't work miracles. I promise that I'll be as gentle as possible."

"I am not taking my pants off."

"I never said that you had to." Alan's lips were twitching with a poorly concealed smile as he spoke. "I just need to be able to see the cut."

Eric could tell that Alan was trying not to laugh. He could not help but wonder what was so damn funny. "So, what do you want me to do, then?"

"Just undo the belt and the top button. Then, I can just tug them down so I can see the cut."

"What? You want me to-"

"Do you want me to do it for you?" Alan took a step forward, reaching out with one hand.

Eric tried to step back, running into the counter behind him. "I can do it myself!"

Though all shinigami had some sort of fundamental belief in God, it was more like the belief most employees had in corporate giants rather than some sort of religion. Just then, Eric felt his first pangs of true deific gratefulness towards whatever higher power had told him to wear undergarments that day. The situation was bad enough as it was. Things would have been infinitely worse if Alan had been treated to a little more of his partner than he had expected, not in the least because Eric really could not help the effect that Alan had on him. All it took was being in close proximity to the man and his entire body turned on like a light.

Reaching up, Eric unfastened his belt and loosened it. He unfastened the top two buttons on his pants and gingerly tugged his trousers down on the left side, exposing the cut.

Alan stepped forward and knelt down so that he could get a better look at the wound. Just as he had done before, his fingers traced the edges of the cut as he cleaned it, working the hot cloth over the damaged skin in such a way that Eric could barely even feel the sting. Alan bit his lip lightly, concentrating on making certain that there were no flecks of metal left in the skin. The sight of Alan's frowning in concentration drew Eric's attention. He stared, forgetting himself as he admired just how lovely Alan could look when he was focused. This was not the first time he had noticed. Moments like that happened frequently in the office, something that he tried to avoid noticing. Eric forced himself to look away. It was unbelievable how something like a facial expression could make someone look so damn cute.

All that Eric could focus on was Alan. The thin brunet was leaning so close that his breath warmed the skin on Eric's side, one of his soft hands pressed to Eric's back as he continued to try to keep him still. Even though he knew that this was not something he was supposed to be enjoying, Eric's body was not listening to his insistence that Alan was just helping him tend to a wound. Slender fingers traced idle circles on his back, mimicking the motions of the washcloth on his side. If Eric leaned just a few inches forward, Alan was so close that Eric could even smell his hair. Oh, it was so wrong, but Eric was enjoying having him close. He could not even feel the burn of the cut any more.

"I still can't see all of it, but I think it'll heal up right now. You had a few flecks of metal from the pipe caught in it and- Eric? Are you all right?" Alan looked up in concern, the slightest frown marring his face as he studied Eric's face. "You're sweating. Are you running a temperature?"

"I'm fine," Eric insisted loudly, pulling another inch back towards the counter. The edge of the wood was digging into the small of his back. He was very uncomfortable. None of the discomfort had anything to do with the counter. "Really. I think I can handle it from here."

"You always were a terrible liar, even when you were my supervisor." Alan let out a sigh. Dusting himself off, he stood and reached up to see whether or not Eric had a fever.

As Alan's hand shot up, Eric tried to move out of the way to avoid the unwanted touch. His efforts to evade the hand failed miserably as he tripped over his own two feet and fell sideways. He scrambled desperately with his hands, catching himself against the doorframe of the entryway to the living room. The arm that caught the doorframe caught Alan's outstretched hand. At the unexpected tug, Alan tilted forward and fell solidly against Eric's chest. They both froze as they realized what had happened. After everything else, the last thing that Eric needed was for Alan to discover exactly how much he had enjoyed the help that the younger man had been giving him.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to surprise you," Alan said hastily. He was pressed completely up Eric's chest, supporting himself with one hand against the wall as the other scrambled for purchase on the smooth wood of the doorframe as he tried to straighten himself up. He pushed himself away from Eric, using the wall for leverage as he stood up. Every little movement he made pressed him closer even though he was trying to move away. Somehow, the thin shinigami did not even seem to notice the effect that it was having on his mentor. Biting back a groan as Alan rubbed up against him; Eric tried to help him stand. For an instant, Eric thought that he had just gotten incredibly lucky and that he had somehow managed to get out of the situation without Alan noticing his arousal. Alan smiled as he straightened up. "Are you all right? I hope that didn't jar th-"

Alan froze, pausing in his efforts to move away. Eric could feel the slow sense of doom descending on him from above as Alan's eyebrows shot up and his eyes looked down to see what he was pressed against. When he spotted the sizable tent in the front of Eric's trousers, his jaw dropped. Alan's entire face flushed a bright shade of pink. "E-Eric..."

"Shit." Eric scrambled as he tried to put distance between Alan and himself. With a resounding crack, his head connected with the wall behind it. Eric howled in pain, reaching up to clutch at the back of his head. Immediately, he lost his balance and fell to the side. A sharp pain shot through his side as the cut on his hip collided with the edge of the cabinets, renewing the burning pain that he had almost managed to forget. "Fuck!"

The searing pain from his hip cleared long enough for Eric to realize that falling to the floor had not hurt. Somehow, he had managed to avoid slamming his head into the wooden floor. His knees seemed fine, too. The reason for that was staring at him eye-to-eye, blushing up at him with his mouth hanging open. Alan lay underneath of him, pinned to the floor by the fall. Eric stared, unsure of what to do. Realizing what happened, he sat up as quickly as possible.

"Shit, Alan. I'm sorry." Eric leaned back against the cabinets. He pressed his forehead into his palm, thoroughly mortified and humiliated by his own clumsiness. "Well, this is damned awkward."

If Alan noticed just how awkward the situation was, he gave no indication. Voice quiet, he asked, "Are you okay? That had to hurt."

Eric looked up. Alan was sitting up and rubbing the back of his own head. Surprised, Eric said, "I should be the one asking you that."

Blinking, Alan straightened his glasses. "Why?"

"Well, fuck," Eric said, uncertain how to respond. "Why? Between practically crushing you just now and my-"

His voice died in his throat. The blush on Alan's cheeks told him that he did not need to finish the sentence. Neither one knew quite what to do about the situation that had occurred. Then, suddenly, Alan laughed. Wide-eyed, Eric stared at him. "You think this is funny?"

"Y-yes," Alan said, trying to stifle his laughter. "It's ridiculous."

At that, Eric started laughing, too. He got to his feet and offered a hand to Alan. "You sure you want to stick around after all that?"

Reaching out, Alan accepted the help and stood. His cheeks were still flushed as he smiled brightly, the last hints of laughter dying down as they returned to the task at hand. "Of course. After all, we still haven't finished getting you cleaned up. Let me get a clean rag."

"Fair enough," Eric agreed. He let out another curse when he looked at his side. The chaos of the past few moments had thoroughly killed whatever arousal he had felt. However, he was left with a new problem caused by the scuffle. "Man, it opened back up. Not much, but this is a mess."

Moving to the sink, Eric grabbed the messy rag that had fallen to the counter. He rinsed it out and pressed it to the cut, twisting awkwardly to try to get a better look at the injury. The cut was already starting to heal but the fall had definitely not helped. He was surprised when slender fingers covered his own larger ones, pulling his hand away. Alan said, "You'll never get it clean by using a dirty rag. Let me."

No amount of determination on Alan's face could erase the obvious embarrassment in his expression as he reached up and tugged at the edge of Eric's boxers to expose the rest of the cut. Leaning down, he brought a clean rag up and wiped away the blood and the smudge of dirt that covered Eric's skin. Soon enough, the wound was clean. The edges of the cut were already starting to knit together. Now that the wound was free of contaminates, Eric's body began to do its work. Seeing the almost immediate improvement, Alan smiled. He stepped back and put the rag into the sink. "I'll get the astringent just to make sure it's clear."

Alan stepped away, grabbing a fresh rag and pouring some of the strong-smelling disinfectant from the brown glass bottle onto the cloth. When he stepped back, Eric reached out and caught his wrist. The blond looked down at his partner. "You really don't have to stay if you don't want to. I wouldn't blame you at all for leaving after all of that."

"You shouldn't take things so seriously, Eric," Alan said, a hint of laughter sneaking back into his voice. "I told you that I won't leave until you're taken care of. I meant it."

"Thanks." Eric smiled broadly. He reached up with one hand and ruffled Alan's hair affectionately. Rather than pulling away, his hand drifted down to cup the side of Alan's face seemingly of its own accord. He had not meant to do it. Not really. When he realized that he was brushing his thumb across his partner's cheek, Eric froze. Alan looked equally surprised, his green eyes darting over to look at the broad hand that was on the side of his face. Eric knew that he had to do something. "Ala-"

Eric's surprise doubled as Alan leaned up on his tiptoes and kissed him. The touch was as light as air as the slender shinigami brushed his lips across his supervisor's in a delicate request. The shock lasted for a fraction of a second before Eric returned the touch, letting his own lips move just as gently across Alan's own. As quickly as he had started the caress, Alan pulled away with a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Eric stared at him, utterly dumbfounded. "Alan, what the hell was that?"

"Well, if I didn't do something, we would have been standing there all night," Alan replied, matter-of-factly. "I got tired of waiting for you to make a move."

Alan settled back on his heels and looked down at the cut on Eric's side, intent on finishing his work. Eric would have none of that. The hand that rested on Alan's cheek drifted up through the strands of soft brown hair. He pulled Alan's face around and brought them together once again. This time, the kiss was not tame as Eric claimed his lips.

One long arm snaked its way around Alan's waist, pulling him closer as Eric tilted the slim brunet's head back and ran his tongue along the seam of his lips. Alan's lips parted as he welcomed the intrusion. Eric completely forgot about the pain in his side. He was completely focused on the sweet taste of the man that was pressed up against him. When they broke apart, they were both panting. Eric leaned his forehead against Alan's own. His voice was a gruff exhalation as he asked, "Do you have... any idea how long I've wanted to do that?"

"For about the past half hour," Alan said, his voice shaking, "judging from what I felt a few minutes ago."

Eric laughed. "It's been a hell of a lot longer than that. Never thought you..."

"I've wondered what that would feel like for a long time," Alan admitted, speaking when Eric's words trailed off into nothingness.

They lapsed into silence, neither one moving as they both breathed in the sudden silence of the kitchen. Eric's injury was completely forgotten as both men considered what had just happened. A dozen interoffice conversations that had make Eric wonder if Alan might have felt the same came to mind, each more obvious than the next now that he had perspective. He had not been imagining it. He had always wondered. He had been right.

Alan's voice interrupted his thoughts, speaking as he moved ever so slightly away. "We really should g-"

"I love you."

Alan pulled away in surprise. "Eric, I..."

"For a damn long time, actually," Eric said. He knew that he was starting to ramble but it did not matter. Alan was not moving away from him. Instead, the shorter shinigami was staring up at Eric in disbelief as the words poured out of him. He had wanted to say this for the longest time. He had just never been given the chance. He did not want to miss this opportunity. "I didn't want to risk ruining anything, especially not with Spears' stick up his ass and the injunction against stuff happening in the office. I just figured that I'd sort of leave it be and th-"

His words were cut off as Alan set the rag that he was holding on the counter and reached up, wrapping his arms around Eric's neck and kissing him once more. Eric felt Alan's fingers burying themselves in his hair, the edges of fingertips tracing the ridges of the cornrows at the side of his head. Any hesitation that Eric felt was wiped away as Alan pushed himself closer. His thin body leaned warmly against Eric. Eric wrapped both of his arms around Alan and held him as though he would never let him go. In his arms, Alan was thin, delicate and perfect. His body fit against Eric's own as though he had been made to be there. Even through the fabric of Alan's waistcoat and button down, Eric could feel the heat from his body.

Pressed fully up against him, Alan seemed to notice this as well. He murmured wordlessly against Eric's lips, responding just as enthusiastically as his partner. Eric lost himself to every soft movement between them, savoring the taste of Alan on his tongue. Everything about the kiss felt right for him, an unexpected joy that he had wanted for longer than he wanted to consider. He was amazed by the fact that every action he made was met with equal fervor by the man in his arms. Alan whimpered against his lips when Eric smiled. This was happiness that he never thought he would be able to have.

Fingertips on Eric's chest brought him back down to earth. Alan dragged one of his hands out of Eric's hair, running it down the tall man's muscular chest. If he had been wearing a shirt that touch would not have had such a strong effect on him. Eric inhaled sharply as Alan's fingertips drifted across one nipple, causing him to gasp. Having Alan so close when he was taking care of an injury was bad enough but having him touching him like this, with purpose behind it, was another matter altogether.

Alan's other hand drifted out of his blond locks, joining his free hand and drifting across Eric's chest until his palms rested on Eric's side. His slim fingers danced across Eric's solid back and urged him closer. Eric groaned against Alan's lips as he pressed into Alan's touch. Breaking away from the kiss, he panted. "We should stop. I never thought... we shouldn't..."

"Do you want to stop?" Alan whispered against his lips.

Eric forced back a shuddering laugh, every ounce of his concentration on the feel of Alan's breath against his mouth. "No."

Alan's lips trailed away from his own and dragged soft kisses along Eric's jaw. His breath brushed Eric's neck as he moved. Very slowly, Alan leaned up against Eric as he had done dozens of times before when the Thorns of Death had tightened its grip and he had needed help. Pressed so close, his lips brushing Eric's neck with no shirt between them, the situation had an entirely new level of significance. Eric's arms tightened around Alan, holding him close. He pressed his lips back to Eric's neck and dragged them up to his ear. His mouth brushed across the stud in Eric's earlobe as he breathed. "Then, don't."

The second that Eric felt Alan's tongue on his earring, he reached up and tugged the clasp of the bolo tie around Alan's neck. Sliding the clasp off, he set the tie and ornament on the counter. His thick fingers slid down Alan's chest, making quick work of unbuttoning the waistcoat and pushing it off slender shoulders. The garment fell to the floor entirely unnoticed. Even as Eric started unbuttoning the collar of his partner's shirt, he knew Alan would be unhappy about it later. For now, it did not matter in the slightest.

The only thing that mattered was the feel of Alan's pale, perfect skin under his hands. He wanted to memorize every inch of it. The business shirt was unbuttoned and pushed out of the way in record time. Alan gasped against Eric's neck when the senior spread his palms out and dragged both of them down Alan's chest. With how wide Eric's hands were, both of them side by side were able to cover Alan's small torso as he slid them down around Alan's body to cup his backside, lifting him up. Alan's legs wrapped around his waist, pulling them together. Eric grimaced as the cut on his side twinged. The pain was quickly forgotten as he groaned into Alan's hair as their arousals pressed together through the fabric of their trousers. He knew that they could not stay in the kitchen. They needed to move and quickly.

Alan wrapped an arm around Eric's neck, pulling the blonde's head down for a harsh kiss as Eric carried him. They stumbled back towards the bedroom with only a modicum of grace. Even with his strength, they ran into the wall twice before finally tumbling into the bedroom. They hit the bed with a shout. Alan tumbled back onto the bedspread with Eric on top of him. Instantly, Eric's hands were on him, his thick fingers tracing the line of thin muscle on Alan's side as Alan's hands reached up to pull him down closer. Tongues tangled, lips dueling for control of the passionate caress. When they parted, both men struggled to catch their breath.

Eric pulled away just far enough to study Alan in the dim light that filtered in from the lamp-lit hallway. Glasses askew, Alan looked up at him with a dazed expression. Even in the pale light, he looked beautiful. His flushed cheeks, kiss-bruised lips and dazed eyes told Eric everything that he need to know. He had wanted Alan for so long that he had never stopped to consider that he might not be the only one who felt that way. Just then, the look in Alan's eyes held every bit as much love, trust and happiness as Eric felt. Alan was unbelievably, impossibly perfect... and he was his.

"What are you looking at?" Alan asked softly.

"You. Looked at you every damn day for years, never seen you look at me like this before." Reaching up, Eric pulled Alan's glasses off and set them on the stand beside the bed. His own glasses quickly joined them.

Alan flushed, smiling even as he looked away. "I should certainly hope not."

"Don't turn away," Eric told him. "Look at me."

"Eric..." Alan did so, green eyes meeting Eric's own darker eyes. Slowly, Alan leaned up and propped himself on his elbows. The business shirt fell off Alan's shoulders, pooling around his arms as he brought their faces closer together. Eric did not move as he felt the brush of Alan's soft lips on his own. The kiss was not frantic or rushed as their earlier efforts had been. Each touch held a thousand different emotions as their mouths worked together. Pressing into the kiss, Alan tilted his head back.

Leaning on one arm, Eric reached up with his other hand and ran his fingers through Alan's hair, tracing the shell of his ear and the soft curve of his jaw. Beneath his fingertips, Alan felt incredibly fragile. Eric's broad hand nearly covered the entire side of his head as he ran his fingers through the brown strands of hair. Eric leaned forward, forcing Alan to fall back onto the pillows. Breaking the kiss, Eric brushed his lips along Alan's jaw until he reached his ear. Roughly, he whispered, "We should have done this a hell of a lot sooner."

Alan let out a heady moan the instant Eric's lips touched his neck. Eric's broad hands traveled down his body, covering every inch of skin that he could find and tracing outlines of muscles on his chest and stomach. Beneath his calloused fingers, he could feel Alan shivering everywhere that he touched. Alan wound his arms around Eric's back. His dull fingernails made harmless scratches across Eric's skin.

Following his hands, Eric licked and nibbled his way down Alan's body. His tongue drifted across pale nipples, drawing a quiet whimper from the man beneath him. He paused the instant that his fingertips hit the rough edge of Alan's belt. Eric watched the expression on his partner's face with keen interest as he traced the edge of the belt before moving lower on the fabric of Alan's trousers. Even through the material, Eric felt the heat of Alan's arousal as he dragged the palm of his hand across the hardened length.

At that light pressure, Alan pushed his hips into Eric's touch with a surprising lack of control. Unable to stop himself, Eric chuckled quietly. Then, reaching up with both hands, he unfastened the thin black belt around Alan's waist. Making quick work of the buttons on the trousers, he slid the pants and the thin shorts underneath of them down Alan's legs. Eric pulled Alan's shoes off and tossed them to the side. Sitting back, he let Alan kick his trousers off the rest of the way.

With the trousers out of the way and his shirt barely on his arms, Alan was almost completely naked. The delicate blush that was still visible on his cheeks continued onto his chest, a mixture of embarrassment and excitement. In the low light, he almost looked as though he was glowing. Alan's arms had fallen away from Eric's back. His fingers played across his own chest, obviously resisting the urge to cover himself up. He was a lovely sight, too tempting for Eric to pass up. Leaning forward, Eric stole a kiss from Alan's lips as he wrapped his fingers around the other man's length. Alan reached up once more and wrapped his arms around Eric's back. He pressed his face into Eric's shoulder, cutting off the sounds pulled from his throat by the motion of Eric's fingers on his erection. Despite the temptation to continue with what he was doing, Eric pulled away, savoring the taste of Alan on his lips. Alan pulled his face away from Eric's shoulder, looking up at him in confusion.

The look of confusion on Alan's face vanished the moment that Eric took his arousal into his mouth. The blond could not help the smile that crept across his lips at the sounds that left Alan's lips when he ran his tongue down his length. Alan's fingers tangled themselves in his hair, flexing every time that Eric's mouth descended on his erection. From his position between Alan's legs, Eric watched the blissful expressions on his lover's face with a sense of deep satisfaction. Every stroke of his tongue and every movement of his hands existed only to drive Alan higher.

Even with Alan's hot length in his mouth, Eric was still beyond belief that any of this was happening. The feel of Alan's fingers pulling at his hair and the quiet cries that left his sweet lips when he licked the slit at the head of Alan's cock were his entire world. The hand that had been wrapped around Alan's arousal moved to trace lines across his chest, pinching a nipple between two fingers and dragging fingertips across the flat expanse of his stomach. There was no sense of delusion, no trying to convince himself that he had somehow imagined this. Eric knew what was happening and he intended to make the most of it.

Eric pulled back and let his tongue drag a circle around the sensitive head of Alan's cock. Alan arched against him, hips pushing for more of that sweet friction. Eric happily complied, taking all of him into his mouth with one practiced stroke. Pulling back, he repeated the action. The hand that was not exploring Alan's skin joined his lips around the man's arousal and stroked him in time to an inaudible rhythm. Under him, Alan tensed. His entire body went rigid as he was pushed over the edge.

Swallowing the mess, Eric pulled his mouth away from Alan's spent arousal. He lifted himself up and pulled himself up to the head of the bed. At his side, Alan panted and tried to catch his breath. Reaching up, Eric brushed several strands of dark hair out of his eyes, smiling at the look of dazed contentment on his face. Alan's own hand came up, covering Eric's as their fingers tangled in his hair. Turning his head, Alan pressed his face into Eric's palm and sighed happily. "Eric..."

"Did you enjoy that?" Eric asked, even though the answer was obvious.

"Very much so." Alan smiled up at him. His face was beaming with happiness. The hand that was not covering Eric's own reached up to trace the lines of the other man's face. Eric felt the warmth of Alan's fingers against his skin. They were polar opposites in every way, even in their appearance. Shinigami aged slowly, centuries barely showing the stress and wear on their skin. Yet, even though Eric was healthy and Alan was ill, Eric's face had always seemed to show more of that stress in his features than his younger partner. He doubted it had anything to do with his age. Though forever youthful and handsome, he always seemed to look tense. He had always felt that his appearance was a stark contrast to that of the other man whose eyes sparkled with life and hope. Alan did not seem to notice or mind as he studied the lines of his face through touch. His fingertips almost tickled as they covered his strong cheekbones, the squareness of his jaw and the roughness of the hair on his chin.

Alan's fingers under his chin pulled him downwards as Alan leaned up to kiss him once more. The instant their lips touched, Alan pulled his hands away and placed both of them on Eric's shoulders. His palms glided across the solid muscles of the man's back. Eric groaned as Alan pushed the kiss deeper. The warmth of his hands slid down Eric's chest and pressed solidly up against him. The diminutive brunet was taking just as much care in getting to know the feel of Eric's body as Eric had done with his.

The flat palm of Alan's hand slid down his stomach, following the contours of his abdominal muscles. A second later, the sound of his metal belt buckle being undone met Eric's ears. Fingers lifted off his stomach as Alan's other hand reached down and finished what he had started. With the belt undone, he worked at the buttons on Eric's trousers. Eric watched as Alan shifted underneath of him. Blushing, the slim brunet scooted a little lower until he could pull Eric's trousers and undergarments off his hips.

Eric chuckled in amusement at his partner having to compensate for the difference in their heights. The laugh was cut off as Alan's fingers wrapped around his arousal, stroking him. Eric pushed into the touch and groaned against Alan's mouth. The hand that held him was soft and hesitant but Alan responded to every tiny movement that Eric gave him. Fast breaths were matched by quicker strokes of Alan's fingers. The hand that was not around his arousal ran down the hollow of Eric's back. The touches were light and all the more tantalizing for it. Every inch of Eric's body felt like it was on fire, hypersensitive to each touch and the taste of Alan's mouth on his own.

Eric was not the only one enjoying himself. Every stroke that he made with his hips pushed his length through the tight circle of Alan's fingers. He brushed up against Alan's stomach with every push. Already, he could feel the insistent hardness of Alan's own arousal pressing up against his own through the other man's fingers.

No sooner had he noticed then Alan released him, leaning back and pressing their arousals together. Alan's delicate hands wrapped around both of them as best he could. Ever so slowly, Alan flexed his hips and pushed into the hold. At that, they both broke the kiss as Alan let out a heady moan.

"Fuck!" Eric shouted. The feeling of electricity on his skin escalated as the two of them pressed together. Arching into the touch, he buried his face at Alan's shoulder, breathing heavily against his partner's chest. Eric had not found himself in a situation like this in months. The lack of practice was showing. Even something like this was pushing him closer to the edge than he wanted.

Gasping, Eric pressed his lips to Alan's neck. He could feel the smaller man's pulse beneath his skin. Reaching down, he covered Alan's hand on their mutual arousals with his own and slowed the motions of his lover's fingers. Voice rough, he growled, "If you don't stop that, I'm going to come."

Alan's fingers came to a stop. He did not move away even as Eric leaned his forehead down onto Alan's chest as he tried to catch his breath. So quietly that Eric almost did not hear, Alan whispered, "Take me."

Eric pulled his head up so sharply that his neck popped. "You sure about that?"

"I've never been more certain of anything, Eric." Alan stared up at him with indescribable happiness shining in his emerald eyes. Just then, Eric knew that he was completely serious. Alan wanted this every bit as much as he did. Any uncertainty that he had left was gone. That certainty was punctuated as Alan took hold of the hand that Eric had used to stop their motions and brought it to his lips. Alan's tongue slipped between his lips, licking the tip of one finger before sliding it into his mouth.

Eric's eyes went wide as he watched Alan repeat the same action with two other fingers, sliding each digit into his mouth and running his tongue from base to tip before taking three at once. The sight of Alan sucking on his fingers instantly made him think of other things that Alan could do with that sinful mouth. "Damn. That's almost as bad."

Slipping the fingers from between his lips, Alan smiled. "Then do something else with them."

Pulling his fingers away from Alan's lips, Eric dragged his hand ever so slowly down his lover's thin body. Alan parted his legs, making way for Eric's hand. Using one thick finger, Eric circled his entrance and then pressed inside. Alan groaned at the intrusion, tightening one fist in the fabric of the comforter beneath him.

Eric leaned down, pressing a chaste kiss to his forehead as he pressed the finger in further. A second finger quickly joined the first, slowly letting Alan adjust to the feel of having something inside of him.

Alan pressed his face against Eric's chest as those fingers began to move. The blond began to pump them in and out of his partner's body, setting a slow rhythm. When Alan let out a whimper of delight, Eric added a third finger and picked up the pace. Wrapping his arms around Eric, Alan clung to him almost desperately.

Around Eric's fingers, Alan was incredibly tight. The tiny whimpers and moans that left his pale lips were the only thing that Eric could focus on as he thrust his fingers in and out of his body. The whines were good but he wanted more. Eric knew the instant that he reached the spot that he was looking for.

"Oh, shit!" Alan shouted. His back arched right up off the bed as Eric's fingers stroked the sensitive spot inside of him. Hearing the uncharacteristic curse leave Alan's lips, Eric grinned. Alan was almost ready. Leaning down, Eric pressed a swift kiss to the top of Alan's head as he slid his fingers out. He brought his hand to his lips and spat on his palm. Bringing his hand down, he slicked his erection and positioned himself between Alan's legs, pressing up against his entrance.

Green eyes met green eyes. There would be no turning back. If they went through with this it would be turning the corner, going past the point of no return and a hundred other cheesy clichés that neither needed to speak. Eric could feel his heart beating in his chest as he considered what was about to happen. He was still not entirely certain how they had reached this point but he knew that he would not back out now. He could not have done so even if he had been crazy enough to want to, not with Alan staring up at him like that. Not with how very much he wanted this. After years of watching and wanting, Alan was finally his. One of Alan's hands pulled away from Eric's back to caress the side of his face. Alan whispered his name. He could not wait any longer.

Leaning forward, Eric whispered Alan's name as he began to push himself inside. Both men groaned at the sensation. Reaching up, Eric took hold of the hand that Alan had pressed to the side of his face. He twined their fingers together as he eased himself all the way in, holding his breath the entire time. He could feel every little movement of the man under him when he finally hit home.

The entire world was nothing but unbelievable heat as he let Alan adjust to him. Beneath him, Alan made no sound. Instead, he bit his lip, visibly trying to relax even as Eric pressed a kiss to his forehead. The moment that he felt Alan finally relax around him, Eric began to move. With one long, slow pull of his hips, he shifted his arousal until he was almost entirely out and then pushed himself in all the way. Every movement was slow, calculated and as gentle as he could possibly make it. The look of vague discomfort vanished from Alan's face with each deliberate movement that he made.

The tight heat around Eric was incredible. Every movement that they made together was a delicious static on his skin. Leaning forward, he hovered over Alan as he pushed into him once more. Eric watched the blissful expression that traced across his partner's face as Alan struggled to keep his eyes open. Knowing that Alan was enjoying what they were doing, what he was doing, was every bit as erotic to him as the act itself. Just then, Eric realized just how much of what they were doing meant. This was more than just sex. It was not just a convenient, if unexpected, fuck. He lived just to hear the sweet sound of Alan calling his name.

As that realization hit home, Eric leaned down and captured Alan's lips in a honeyed kiss. His hips moved, pushing them together more roughly than before. Alan gasped against his lips, his back arching as a wave of pleasure swept through him. Eric slid his hand under the arch of his back and pulled the two of them together. He could feel the hardness of Alan's erection pressing into his stomach with increasing insistence with every stroke that he made.

Alan's lip brushed along the rough line of Eric's jaw, breaking his concentration. The brunet's voice was surprisingly rough as he whispered, "More..."

As much as Eric loved watching the pleasurable expressions that chased across Alan's face, he had to agree. He wanted more. Eric thrust in once more and then pulled out as slowly as he could. Alan whimpered at the loss of contact. Growling, Eric said, "Turn over."

Eric watched as Alan turned over, resting on his hands and knees in front of him. The younger shinigami glanced over his shoulder, waiting to see what Eric would do. Leaning forward, Eric slid back into him with one long thrust. His breath came out in a hiss of air as he fully sheathed himself in his partner, Alan's back pushed fully against his stomach. Eric turned his face, taking in the scent of Alan's hair as they both adjusted to the new position. He ran his teeth along the shell of the smaller man's ear as he pulled out, thrusting back in with greater force. From the new angle, everything was much more intense.

Somehow, with Alan pressed up against every inch of him, this new position seemed even more intimate than the previous one. The sound of Alan's panting breaths filled Eric's ears as he whispered his lover's name. Dipping his head, Eric pressed kisses to every inch of skin that he could find, his lips touching Alan's ear, shoulder and back. One hand supporting himself on the bed, Eric reached down and wrapped his fingers around Alan's arousal. Fingers moving in time with the tempo of their bodies, he stroked his arousal. Alan moved with him eagerly, hips pressing against him as they lost themselves in each other.

Eric knew that he could not last like this. The sound of Alan panting his name under his breath and the feeling of pushing into his heat was too much. Even so, he wanted to make certain that Alan went over first. Beneath him, Alan's back arched as he came. His voice was hoarse as he cried out. "Eric!"

The sound of Alan's voice calling his name was all that Eric needed to push him over the edge. He pushed into Alan with two last, long shuddering strokes. Crying out, he buried his face at Alan's neck and emptied the last of his seed into his partner.

After a long breath, Eric pulled out and collapsed onto the bed. Wrapping an arm around Alan's waist, he pulled the smaller man with him. Alan happily complied, leaning into Eric's side with none of the shyness or hesitation that Eric might have expected. The silence was perfect as the two of them lay there together, each enjoying the warmth of the other person.

Breath shuddering, Alan leaned his head against Eric's shoulder. He nuzzled into the crook of the blonde's neck. "Eric, I love you."

Eric looked down in surprise. The surprise quickly melted into a warm smile as Eric leaned down and pressed his lips to the mop of brown hair. "Mine."

"I've always been yours," Alan told him, pulling back so that he could look into Eric's eyes. "You just hadn't figured that out yet."

Alan's thin arm slipped around Eric's waist, turning the man's muscular body to face him as he leaned in for a kiss that was far gentler than the ones they had shared only moments before. For once, loneliness was the very last thing on either man's mind as they lost themselves in each other.

Just as Eric leaned closer, he pulled back and stifled a yelp of pain. "Fuck!"

"What's wrong?" Alan said, alarmed. He sat up quickly, wondering what had happened.

Eric sat up and pressed a hand to his side. He pulled his fingers back with a look of dismay at the faint red smear that colored his fingertips. "We forgot about the damn cut."

At that, Alan started laughing. Eric stared. "What's so fucking funny?"

"Nothing, nothing," Alan said, bringing his laughter down to a bright smile. He leaned over and pressed a kiss to Eric's cheek. "Give me just a minute and we'll get that cut bandaged. Though, I have to say, I would love to see the look on the faces of those nurses in the infirmary if they could see what we just did."

**End  
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><p><em>Author's Note: <em>I absolutely love Eric and Alan. They don't get enough fan fiction. So, here we have yet another lengthy E/A one-shot from me. I can't help myself. Oh, well. Enjoy!

Many, many thanks to my wonderful beta reader - ~DemonCatWithASpork!


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